Emerald Pub at the United Irish Cultural Center

Friday, October 25, 2024

Doors at 6:30 pm/Show at 7 pm

 John Doyle and Mick McAuley have been playing music together on the international stage for over twenty years. As multi-instrumentalist members of Irish-American supergroup Solas, they combined to create part of the group’s unmistakable early sound which garnered critical worldwide acclaim with the Boston Herald heralding Solas as “The Best Traditional Band in the World”. Over the last several years, Doyle and McAuley have toured extensively as a duet all over Europe and the U.S. and have recently recorded and released a new and exciting album of original and traditional songs and tunes which range from explosive instrumental sets to heart-rending and beautiful ballads. Individually, they have played and recorded with some of the most respected musical artists in the world and are, themselves, among the most highly regarded musicians in the Irish folk world.

“We composed many of the original tunes and songs on this album in the Irish traditional idiom having both spent so many years steeped in the Irish tradition in which we were so fortunate to grow up and come of age. It is our hope that this album pays tribute to the countless generations of great musicians who inspired us on our musical journey and who have kept our rich Irish tradition alive down through the ages.”

As members of Solas, John and Mick performed to sold out audiences internationally and made multiple appearances on many renowned National Public Radio programs in the U.S. such as A Prairie Home Companion, E-Town, World Cafe Live and Mountain Stage. John Doyle has since gone on to tour and record with some of the great artists of the Folk, Celtic and Bluegrass worlds- as music director for folk icon Joan Baez, guitarist for Mary Chapin Carpenter, Tim O’Brien, Kate Rusby, Mick Moloney, Linda Thompson & Cathal McConnell and is featured regular on the hugely popular BBC Scotland’s Transatlantic Sessions.

Mick McAuley has since gone on to play with renowned 17-time Grammy-winner Sting for several years, has made several solo albums and has appeared with artists such as Patti Larkin, Paul Brennan (Clannad), Mick Hanly, Mick Moloney, Karan Casey, Terry Woods (Pogues) and Mary Chapin Carpenter, to name a few.

Doyle’s powerhouse rhythmic guitar sound along with McAuley’s virtuosic instrumental skills make for driving tune sets from this pairing. When all that is interspersed with the beautifully crafted original songs of these two skilled songwriters, the result is one of the most powerfully dynamic and versatile duets in folk music today.